PART III. ofgracious .4peíions. 119 God, to a dead Corpfe, as to raife it to Life; or to a Stone, to turn it into an Angel. A fpiritual Application of the Word of God con- fifts in applying it to the Heart, in fpiritually enlightning, fanEtifying Influences. A fpiritual Application of an Invitation or Offer of the Gofpel confifis in giving the Soul a.fpiritual Senfe or Relifh of the holy and divine Bledfings offer'd, and alfo the fweet and wonderful Grace of the Offerer, in making fo gracious an Offer, and of his holy Excellency and Faithfulnefs to fulfill what he offers, and his glorious Sufficiency for it ; fo leading and drawing forth the Heart to em- brace the Offer ; and thus giving the Man Evidence of his Title to the Thing offered. And fo a fpiritual Application of the Promifes of Scripture, for the Comfort of the Saints, confifts in enlightning their Minds to fee the holy Excellency and Sweetnefs of the Bleffings. Pro- mifed, and alfo the holy Excellency of the Promifer, and his Faithful- nefs and Sufficiency ; thus drawing forth their Hearts to embrace the Promifer, and Thing promifed ; and by this Means, giving the fen- fible Aaings of Grace, enabling them to fee their Grace, and fo their Title to the Promife. An Application not confìfiing in this divine Senfe and Enlightning of the Mind, but confifiing only in the Words being borne into the Thoughts, as if immediately then fpoken, fo making Perfons believe, on no other Foundation, that the Promife is their's ; is a blind Application, and belongs to the Spirit of Darknefs, and not of Light. When Perfons have their Affeaions railed after this Manner, thole Affe&ions are really not railed by the Word of God ; the Scripture is not the Foundation of them ; 'tis not any Thing contained in thofe Scriptures which come to their Minds, that raife .their Affeaions ; but truly that Effect, viz. the firange Manner of the Words being fuggefied to their Minds, and a Propofition from thence taken up by them, which indeed is not contained in that Scripture, nor any other; as that his Sins are forgiven him, or that it is the Father's Good Plea- fare to give him in particular the Kingdom, or the like. There are Propofitions to be found in the Bible, declaring that Perfons of fuch and fuchQualifications are forgiven and beloved of God: But there are no Propofitions to be found in the Bible declaring that fuch and fuch particular Perfons, independent on any precious Knowledge of any Qualifications, are forgiven and beloved of God : And therefore when any Perfon is comforted, and affec`ied by any fuch Propo- titian, it is by another Word, a Word newly coin'd, and not any Word of God contained in the Bible. $ And thus many Perfons are vainly affeted and deluded. Again Some Chriftians have refted with a Work without Chrift, which is abominable : But after a Man is in Chrift, not to judge by the Work, is firft not to judge from a Word. For j 4 cc tho'
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